The present invention relates to a paperboard box with removable identifying indicia. In the baking industry, it is often necessary to hand mark a box, in a visible location, with indicia identifying the contents of the box, whether by type of pie, occasion celebrated, flavor or the like. Often, pies and cakes are mass produced and placed in identical containers. Thus, a system permitting easy identification of the contents of a box and an easy way of providing that marking would be helpful and would increase efficiency.
In the prior art, it is known to provide markings or indicia on boxes to facilitate identification of the contents of a box. Applicant is aware of the following United States Patents:
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 711,240 to Zaring discloses a box having indicia that may be covered to obscure indicia not indicative of the contents of the box.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 2,054,596 to Ford discloses a carton having indicia printed on the side thereof and a flap that may be used to cover the indicia to change the indicated number.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,882 to Eisman et al. discloses a carton with interchangeable identification means consisting of a foldable tab.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,691 to Wihksne discloses a glove package box with interchangeable identification consisting of display windows that may be removed on perforations to reveal indicia behind the windows.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,896 to Brauner et al. discloses a paperboard food carton having a lid with indicia printed thereon and with shutter panels that may be swung to reveal the desired indicium.
(6) Reissue Patent No. Re. 33,979 to Cortopassi discloses a content-identifying carton structure wherein a flap on the lid of the carton includes indicia and the body of the carton has tuck-tabs aligned with each indicium so that the tabs may be pivoted to reveal a desired indicium.
(7) U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,273 to Jensen discloses a paperboard container with indicia tabs wherein a tab may be folded to change the indicated identifier.
(8) U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,315 to Eiteneer et al. discloses a multi-layered gaming device wherein pieces are peeled off to reveal information located thereunder.
(9) U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,997 to Jensen discloses a paperboard clamshell construction in which a container lid has a peelable tab that, when removed, reveals indicium thereunder.
(10) U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,881 to Clements et al. discloses a contest container blank including tabs that may be peeled back to reveal information contained thereunder.
(11) U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,181 to Cai discloses a french fry carton with indicia hidden under a tab that may be torn away to reveal the indicia.
The present invention differs from the teachings of these patents as contemplating a paperboard container in which a plurality of separate tabs are provided on which are written different always visible indicia and wherein all of the areas except one are removed from the container at scoring lines to leave the remaining indicium on the container which accurately describes the contents thereof or provides a salutation, greeting or other message.
The present invention relates to embodiments of a paperboard box with removable identifying indicia. The present invention includes the following interrelated objects, aspects and features:
(1) In a first aspect, the present invention is intended to be incorporated into a box such as a paperboard box made from a sheet of card stock and appropriately scored and configured so that it may be bent at different areas thereon to form the bottom and cover, together comprising the box. Of course, the principles of the present invention may be equally well practiced with boxes made of other materials.
(2) In a first embodiment of the present invention, the top of the box or cover has a central opening that may, if desired, be rectangular in shape. Each corner of the opening has a removable tab and each of the tabs has written thereon a different message. For example, the messages can relate to different kinds of pies such as, for example, xe2x80x9capplexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccherryxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cblueberryxe2x80x9d. One of the tabs may be provided with a line to provide a location where an identifier may be handwritten using any suitable writing instrument.
(3) As an alternative example, the writing on each tab may relate to an occasion such as xe2x80x9cHappy Birthdayxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cHappy Anniversaryxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cCongratulationsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cBon Voyagexe2x80x9d.
(4) In using the inventive box, a product is placed into the box and the cover is closed thereover. All of the tabs are removed with the exception of the remaining tab that accurately describes either the contents of the box or the occasion being celebrated or observed or other message.
(5) In a further embodiment, a box may be provided with a central opening having triangular or parallelogram-shaped tabs partially obscuring the opening. Each tab, as before, has indicia thereon concerning an occasion, the contents of the box or other message. In operation of this embodiment, as before, all of the tabs are removed except for the tab that identifies the contents of the box or relates to the occasion being celebrated or observed or provides the desired message.
(6) In either embodiment of the present invention, the opening of the box cover may include a clear covering such as, for example, a transparent plastic covering designed to facilitate sealing the interior of the box to retard spoilage of the contents.
As such, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a paperboard box with removable identifying indicia.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device wherein a box has a central opening with a plurality of tabs thereon and all of the tabs except one are removed so that the remaining tab describes the contents of the box or a pertinent occasion or message.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a device wherein the tabs are substantially rectangular.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide such a device wherein the tabs are triangular or comprise parallelograms.
These and other objects, aspects and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.